This invention pertains to a seating assembly, and more particularly to a seating assembly for use in an auditorium or the like.
Auditorium seating typically includes a seat and a back mounted to a frame assembly, with the back being fixed and the seat being pivotable throughout a range of movement. This type of seating is often occupied for fairly long periods of time without providing the sitter an opportunity to stand or move about to relieve muscle tension or discomfort. The sitter will often move about within the seat in an effort to relieve muscle tension and discomfort and find a comfortable position. The fixed back provided by typical auditorium seating systems limits the sitter's efforts since it is not movable from its predetermined fixed position. Thus, the only option available in attaining a comfortable position is for the user to continually move about within the seat to adjust the position of the sitter's spinal column.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an auditorium seating system having a high degree of comfort for the sitter. A further object of the invention is to provide an auditorium seating system in which the seat and back provide a narrow folded unoccupied depth of approximately 13 inches, to allow more seating to be placed within a room than is possible with conventional auditorium seating systems while maintaining adequate aisle space between adjacent rows of seating without encroaching upon aisle widths typically specified by local fire regulations. Yet another object of the invention is to provide an auditorium seating system having a distinctive, aesthetically appealing appearance. A still further object of the invention is to provide an auditorium seating system capable of installation in a wide range of mounting arrangements.
The auditorium seating system of the present invention accomplishes the noted objects by incorporating several unique features into the seating system.
In accordance with one aspect of the invention, a seating assembly includes a pair of spaced frame members, with a seat and a back located between the frame members. A seat mounting mechanism provides movement of the seat between a storage position and an occupied position, and a first biasing system is provided for moving the seat toward its storage position when the seating assembly is unoccupied. The back is mounted between the frame members by a back mounting mechanism which also provides movement of the back between a storage position and an occupied position. A second biasing system is provided for moving the back to its storage position when the seating assembly is unoccupied. The seat and back are both mounted for pivoting movement between the frame members. The seat and the back are disposed substantially parallel to each other when each is in its storage position by operation of the seat and back mounting mechanisms cooperating with the first and second biasing systems, respectively. In a highly preferred arrangement, the seat and back are both substantially vertical when each is in its storage position. This feature provides a very narrow depth of approximately 13 inches when the seating assembly is in its folded, unoccupied position.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the seat is pivotably mounted between the frame members by a seat mounting mechanism which includes a pair of seat mounting assemblies, each of which is located between the seat and one of the frame members. Each seat mounting assembly includes a shaft extending from the frame member, a bushing fixedly mounted to the shaft, and a socket mounted to the seat. The bushing defines an arcuate outer surface, and the socket defines an internal cavity within which the bushing is received, with the internal cavity having an arcuate inner surface for mating with the arcuate outer surface of the bushing to provide pivoting movement of the seat relative to the frame member. A stop assembly limits the range of pivoting movement of the seat. The stop assembly includes a stop member fixedly mounted to each shaft, with each stop member defining first and second stop surfaces. A pin member is mounted to the seat and is movable with the seat during movement of the seat between its storage and occupied positions. The pin member is engageable with one of the stop surfaces of the stop member to define the range of downward pivoting movement of the seat. A resilient bumper is mounted to the other of the stop surfaces and is engageable with a plate member mounted to the seat to define the range of upward pivoting movement of the seat. In a preferred form of the invention, the socket is associated with a seat pivot housing which defines an interior within which the stop member is located, with the pin being mounted to the seat pivot housing. The seat is biased toward its storage position by means of a counterweight mounted to the seat, which functions to move the seat to its storage position when the seating assembly is unoccupied.
In accordance with yet another aspect of the invention, a back mounting mechanism for mounting the back between the frame members includes a shaft extending from each frame member, with the back being mounted for pivoting movement about a pivot axis defined by the shafts. A stop arrangement defines the range of pivoting movement of the back about the shafts. The stop arrangement limits pivoting movement of the back in a first direction to a substantially vertical, upright storage position. A biasing arrangement is interposed between the back and each shaft for biasing the back toward its storage position. The back is mounted to the shafts by a pair of back pivot housings, each of which is pivotably mounted to one of the shafts. Each back pivot housing includes a vertical wall and one or more side walls which define an internal cavity. The stop arrangement includes an opening formed in the vertical wall of each back pivot housing, and a stop pin interconnected with the frame member to which the pivot housing is mounted, with the stop pin extending through the opening. The opening defines a forward edge, and engagement of the stop pin with the forward edge of the opening limits movement of the back in a forward direction to its vertical, upright storage position. A bumper member formed of a resilient material is mounted to the back pivot housing in a location spaced rearwardly from the forward edge of the opening. Engagement of the stop pin with the bumper member limits rearward movement of the back but allows a controlled flexing action from a 0.degree. position to a 30.degree. position to accommodate the sitter's changes in position. The biasing arrangement includes a torsion spring engaged with a forward one of the pivot housing side walls and also engaged with the stop pin, for urging the stop pin toward the forward edge of the opening.
In accordance with a further object of the invention, each frame assembly includes an upright frame member defining an upper end and a lower end, and an upper support member mounted toward the upper end of each upright frame member and extending rearwardly therefrom. Each upper support member terminates in an outer end. The pivoting seat mounting arrangement is disposed below the upper end of each upright frame member for pivotably mounting the seat to each upright frame member. The pivoting back mounting arrangement is disposed toward the outer end of each upper support member for pivotably mounting the back to each upper support member.
Further objects and advantages of the invention will be made apparent from the following description taken together with the drawings.